Under the State’s accreditation process, known as the Missouri School Improvement Plan (MSIP), each school district is evaluated once every five years; however, academic performance is measured each year by the Annual Performance Report (APR). The APR requires the District to meet a stringent set of academic requirements in fourteen key areas. These requirements include a review of academic performance standards such as the District’s rating on the Missouri Assessment Program (MAP), ACT scores, graduation rates, attendance rates, career education courses, and college placement. As a fully accredited district, Francis Howell met all fourteen standards.

The standards used in the accreditation process also determine the District’s eligibility for the “Distinction in Performance Award,” which is based on academic achievement and progress. Recently, the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) honored the District with the “Distinction in Performance Award” for academic achievement and progress. The District earned a perfect score on the rigorous performance standards established by DESE. While the award is based on the same criteria used in the accreditation process, this annual performance review provides confirmation and recognition of the District’s consistent performance. This year's award marks the fifth time the District has received the honor of “Distinction in Performance” since 2001.

The District continues to increase performance in the area of MAP testing in communication arts and mathematics, with high levels of students scoring at the Proficient and Advanced levels in each subject and grade tested.  In 2009, the District exceeded the state annual proficiency target of 59.2% in communication arts with a score of 60.7%.  In 2009, the District also exceeded the state annual proficiency target of 54.1% in mathematics with a score of 60.5%.  While the District continues to make steady progress, it is our goal to earn the highest mark on the APR annually. 

The District is also making progress in meeting the requirements of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB). NCLB is a federal law that established academic standards requiring all students to be proficient in communication arts and mathematics by 2014. In 2009 Francis Howell met 14 of the 16 standards for NCLB. The two standards not met by the District were in the special education subgroups of communication arts and mathematics. Even though this subgroup did not meet the NCLB benchmark, these students continue to show learning increases and we are working to minimize the achievement gap in all content areas. The District is taking a deeper look at each subgroup and identifying students who are not making sufficient progress and developing plans to support each student. 

Supporting the District's academic achievement results is the District's commitment to Professional Learning Communities.  One of the chief tenets of the learning community concept is the focus on learning rather than teaching. With this results oriented focus, Francis Howell is engaging students, teachers, and administrators simultaneously in learning. By continually involving teachers in professional development and learning activities, student learning increases. 

Another important component of Professional Leaning Communities is regular collaboration time, which provides teachers time to work together, share knowledge, and contribute ideas to support student learning. Through this collaboration process, teachers are better prepared to respond to the needs of students and are empowered to take action to improve student achievement for all students. 

As a learning community, Francis Howell School District will continue to foster high levels of achievement by offering a quality curriculum and effective instructional practices.  

Click here for more information on Francis Howell School District’s Annual Performance Report (APR).